It is generally recognized that small, two-stroke and four stroke engines used in conventional lawn care equipment cause a large amount of pollution and contribute to ground-level ozone concentrations. According to one report, traditional gas-powered lawn mowers are responsible for 5% of the air pollution in the United States, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The same publication reports that one gas mower running for an hour emits the same amount of pollutants as eight new cars driving 55 mph for the same amount of time, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. Another publication contends that a traditional gas-powered lawn mower produces as much air pollution as 43 new cars each being driven 12,000 miles. Furthermore, it is generally recognized that small, gas-powered engines are a major contributor to noise pollution and have been known to cause ear damage.
Alternatives to traditional gas-powered lawn mowers are available. Manual and battery powered reel mowers are available from The Scotts Company, LLC, Brill, and Sunlawn. Corded electric and battery powered rotary lawn mowers are available from Black & Decker, Cub Cadet, and Neuton. Remington offers the PowerMower lawn mower which can switch between battery powered and corded electric modes.